


Enjoy the Moment

by Blackbird Song (Blackbird_Song)



Category: White Collar
Genre: Advent Calendar, Challenge Response, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 18:49:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2864063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackbird_Song/pseuds/Blackbird%20Song
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a rough few days....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enjoy the Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [](http://whitecollarhc.livejournal.com/profile)[whitecollarhc](http://whitecollarhc.livejournal.com/) Advent Calendar Challenge of 2014. Many thanks to my husband for the beta.

"Should we rearrange them?" Elizabeth murmured, handing the mug to Mozzie before settling somewhat gingerly on the chair next to his and reaching for the bottle of schnapps. She poured some into her own mug and dangled the liquor before her coconspirator.

"Don't mind if I do," he said, doctoring his own hot chocolate. "And no, let's just enjoy the peace and quiet for a while." He raised his mug.

Careful not to disturb the quiet, she touched it with hers. "It's been a long time coming."

"Yes. Yes, it has." Mozzie sipped his rather seriously debauched hot chocolate as though it were the finest wine. "Was yours as bad as mine?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Worse." She leaned in, lowering her voice. "I almost called you about getting some laudanum." She leaned in closer. "Five times," she all but mouthed into his ear.

"That's nothing." Mozzie leaned closer to her. "Mine made me go out ten times to get him cronuts."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "No!"

"Yes," Mozzie nodded. "In the snow. Today." He leaned in even closer. "It's a good thing I know the guy who makes them."

"Oh, Mozzie! I thought I saw you limping. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. I just slipped and fell. At least the car coming at me skidded in the opposite direction."

"Should I put you to bed?"

"Oh, no, not at all! Besides, unless my eyes deceive me, your right shoulder is hurting. What happened?"

"I was cleaning the bathroom when Peter decided he needed a shower. He came barreling in without knowing I was right on the other side of the door."

Mozzie stared at her, a shocked look on his face. "I never thought the Suit would do that to you!"

Elizabeth made a shushing gesture with her free hand. "It wasn't his fault. His ears were clogged," she whispered.

"Never make excuses for people with power." Mozzie sipped his chocolate. "How badly did he get you?"

"Not as badly as I got him the other day when I was chopping garlic and the knife slipped out of my hand and onto his foot."

"Ooh, ouch!" Mozzie smiled and raised his mug to her. "Sounds like that bad bottle of sparkling wine I uncorked two weeks ago. The cork beaned Neal just above the left ear."

They clinked mugs hard enough to elicit snuffly disturbances of breath from the couch. They both froze. Elizabeth didn't need her eyes to tell her that Mozzie was staring in equally rapt attention as Peter uncurled and brought both legs up onto the couch, dislodging Neal's head from where it had been lolling on his hip.

Neal moaned in peeved annoyance.

Peter's hand landed on Neal's shoulder as he muttered something that sounded to Elizabeth a lot like, "C'mere, darlin'."

Mozzie's breath seemed to freeze as they watched Neal curl around into Peter's sloppy embrace and fall back to sleep. "I've never seen that before."

"I have," said Elizabeth.

"And you don't mind?"

"It bothered me at first," she admitted, "but now I just think it's kind of cute. Besides, if it helps them get well quicker, we all benefit, right? I mean, there's a reason I invited you both over here today."

"Excellent point," said Mozzie, in his warmest, most admiring voice. "If the mistletoe were over here, I'd kiss you!"

Elizabeth smiled her most evil smile. "Is your leg well enough to get the stepladder for me?" She glanced at where the mistletoe was hanging in the foyer.

"The stepladder?" And then understanding dawned on Mozzie's face. "Perfect!"

The photos of Peter and Neal waking up under the mistletoe became legend in the office. The ones of Peter and Neal kissing under the mistletoe were photo manips – some better than others – passed around amongst coworkers and used as blackmail by just about everyone for well over a year.

All, that is, except one. Mozzie and Elizabeth each made one hard copy of the photo she took of the kiss not quite on the lips that happened just after Neal and Peter tried to get up at the same time and knocked heads. It was the briefest thing, but Elizabeth's camera caught every shred of affection between the two of them and framed it against the backdrop of the Christmas tree just before Satchmo knocked it over.


End file.
